Issue ¹1, 2018

Mirovednikova A. V. Quality of electoral processes and voter turnout:
analysis of 2015–2016 regional and Duma elections in Russia
The paper considers the effect of «expecting fraud» by voters as one of the possible
reason for the low turnout in Russian regional and Duma elections in 2015 and
2016. Regression analysis with the application of special statistical methods helped
to reveal that, in fact, there is a correlation between the turnout and the selected variables.
The effect of «waiting for fraud» can reduce turnout in conditions of Russian
electoral authoritarianism. Key words: elections; turnout; clientelism; electoral fraud; quality of elections;
Duma elections; regional elections.